Texas Tech’s Kennedy Kithuka and Iowa State’s Crystal Nelson have earned Big 12 Runner of the Week honors. It is Kithuka’s second weekly award this season and fifth career weekly award. Nelson is the first Cyclone to take home the weekly honor on the season.

Kithuka crossed the finish line with a season-best time of 23:55.27 - more than 30 seconds ahead of the talented field which included five All-Americans in the next six spots.

The 2012 NCAA Cross Country Champion has swept each of the first three races in 2013 and done so in dominant fashion – finishing at least 30 seconds ahead of the field in each meet.

Kithuka was named the National Athlete of the Week Monday, Sept. 30, by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for his efforts at the Cowboy Jamboree.

Crystal Nelson, Iowa State, So., Winchester, Va.Nelson placed third at the 28th annual Roy Griak Invitational despite the poor weather conditions. Her performance helped lead the Iowa State women’s cross country team to a fifth overall finish in a field loaded with ranked competition.

Nelson, the Cyclones’ top finisher, ran with the lead pack for the entire race and took the lead for a good portion of the race. The Cyclones finished fifth behind ranked opponents No. 5 Arizona, No. 12 Michigan State, No. 29 Butler and No. 19 Minnesota. Nelson’s effort lifted the team above No. 20 Vanderbilt and No. 21 North Carolina State, as well as other notable teams.